Shelby County DPS worked a two-vehicle accident on Loop 500 yesterday afternoon just after 1:30. Troopers say Lonnie Allen Cook of Tyler was headed south on 96 towards the Loop 500 intersection. Troopers say he was coming to the intersection when he feild to yield the right-of-way. Officers say Cook thought the signal was a green arrow, when , in fact, it was a green light. Lydia Yennet Navarret-Gonzales of Center came through the intersection headed north when her vehicle struck his. Cook was cited for Failure to Yield the Right-of-Way at an intersection and Navaret-Gonzales was cited for No Driver's License.

The Center Broadcasting Company and Shelby County Bass Anglers wish to remind everyone that the deadline for preregistering for the 35th annual Take a Kid Fishing Bream Tournament is this Friday, May 3rd. All children, ages 3 to 15, are elgible to register for the event to be held Saturday, May 11th at Huxley Bay Marina. Fishing begins at 6 AM, and all participants must be in the weigh-in line no later than 12:30. Entry forms can be pickedup at the Center Broadcasting studios, Wulf Outdoor Sports, Huxley Bay Marina, Scarber's Grocery, First Bank and Trust East Texas in San Augustine, or Hometown Tackle. For more information, call the Center Broadcasting offices at 598-3304.

Shelby County Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8904 and the Ladies Auxiliary will observe Loyalty Day on Wednesday, May 1st. 2013 and invite all citizens to join them for a pancake breakfast at the post home, 617 Highway 96 N. Breakfast will be served from 9 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Loyalty Day originally began as "Americanization Day" in 1921 as a counter to the Communists' May 1st celebration of the Russian Revolution. On May 1st, 1930, 10,000 VFW members staged a rally at New York's Union Square to promote patriotism. Through a resolution adopted in 1949. May 1st evolved into Loyalty Day. Observances began in 1950 on April 28th and climaxed May 1st when more than five million people across the nation held rallies. In New York City more than 100.000 people rallied for America. In 1958 Congress enacted Public Law 529 proclaiming Loyalty Day a permanent fixture on the nation's calendar. Many people in the United States remain unaware of Loyalty Day and although a legal holiday, it is not a federal holiday and is not commonly observed. Questions please call Larry Hume, Post Quartermaster at 598·2976.

SHELBY COUNTY DPS ARE PUTTING TOGETHER FINAL DETAILS OF THE BUS ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED FRIDAY AFTERNOON A LITTLE AFTER FOUR. WHAT THEY HAVE TOLD US SO FAR IS THAT A CENTER ISD BUS WAS HEADED EAST ON HIGHWAY 7 ,DRIVEN BY 51-YEAR-OLD EVA COOPER OF CENTER WHEN IT APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION OF FM 1656. ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING THAT SAME INTERSECTION AND SLOWED TO TURN LEFT ONTO THE FM ROAD. THE REPORT INDICATES THE DRIVER OF THE BUS FAILED TO CONTROL HER SPEED AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID HITTING THE SMALLER VEHICLE IN THE REAR. AS A RESULT, IT ENTERED INTO A SIDE SKID AND OVERTURNED CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE BUS. THE DRIVER AND SOME STUDENT OCCUPANTS OF THE BUS WERE TREATED AND IN SOME INSTANCES TRANSFERRED TO SHELBY REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER BY ACE EMS.

IN A PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY CENTER SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT JAMES HOCKENBERRY , IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT ELEVEN STUDENTS AND THE BUS DRIVER WERE TREATED AT THE SCENE FOR THEIR INJURIES. NINE STUDENTS AND THE DRIVER WERE TREATED AND RELEASED ON FRIDAY. TWO STUDENTS WERE HOSPITALIZE OVERNIGHT ON FRIDAY FOR OBSERVATION, BUT WERE RELEASED ON SATURDAY. NO SERIOUS INJURIES WERE REPRORTED, EXCEPT FOR A STUDENT WITH A SHOULDER INJURY.

Tomorrow is the last day of the Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale at the Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library. It will be open from 12 to noon. A "bag of books" is one dollar. The public has a choice of paperbacks, hardbacks, mysteries, romances, non-fiction and childrens books. All proceeds benefit the library's new book budget.

Center Chamber of Commerce officials joined those from Ace Hardware to usher in the opening of the new Ace Rental Place on Loop 500 just off Highway 96 South.

Sales Manager James Reagan says rentals are not the only service offered. "We also have our service on small engine repair. We also serve the oil and gas industry. We work on all the solar power chemical injection pumps. We have a vast selection of pressure guages and tube-fittings. You name it ! We even fill propane bottles for RVs, fork lifts...you name it !"

"We got backhoes, trenchers, bobcats, ...everything is all new here," he said.

Today's events consisted of a ribbon-cutting and customer appreciation open house for the public.

The Shelbyville ISD has donated $2,013 to West ISD school officials. Shelbyville representatives made the donation yesterday. There was also a check from the Shelbyville ISD FFA to the West ISD FFA for $200. The funds were raised in less than a week from donations given by Shelbyville ISD students, parents, teachers, staff, and community members. The donation will be used to help students and their families recover from the fertilizer plant fire and explosion that occurred last Wednesday.

Posted
2013-04-25 08:28:00 by submited by Shelby County Chamber of Commerce

The City of Center and the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce invites the public to join them on Saturday, April 27 for the 10th Annual Center Fly-In & Air Show in Center, Texas at the Center Municipal Airport. Gates open at 10:00 a.m. with free admission.

Texas Heatwave will present a remote control aircraft demonstration at 11:00 a.m. The Flight of the Phoenix Escadrille T-6 Texan planes formation flights will begin at 12:00 p.m. Two rides in a T-6 Texan plane will be raffled off with a drawing at 1:00 p.m. at the airport. Each attendee will receive one raffle ticket at the gate and with the purchase of a t-shirt will receive four tickets for the drawing. The Young Aviator’s Glider Contest, sponsored by Tyson Foods, at 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. with trophies awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each age group.

An invitation is extended to anyone with a classic car or motorcycle to come out and display their wheels in the “Wings and Wheels” area. All pilots that fly in will be entered in a random draw for $100 in fuel.

Food vendors, arts and crafts, children’s activity tent with games and prizes. Attendees are encouraged to bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the activities for a day filled with family fun.

On Monday, April 22 Mr. Rick Hanning, Luminant Community Relations Manager, presented Dr. Gregory Powell, President of Panola College, with a $1,000 check for the Panola College Foundation’s Sustainers Group.

“Luminant has been a sustaining member of the Panola College Foundation since 2008. Their generosity has helped the organization build an endowment that is now being used to help fund various projects across campus. They have been a wonderful corporate neighbor, and we are grateful for their support,” said Dr. Van Patterson, Vice President of Institutional Advancement.

Luminant, a subsidiary of Energy Future Holdings, formerly TXU Corp., is the largest competitive power generation business in Texas. Their activities include plant and mine, wholesale marketing and trading, and development operations. Luminant has more than 15,400 megawatts of capacity, including 2,300 MW fueled by nuclear power and 8,000 MW fueled by coal. Almost 2,200 MW of the coal generation are new baseload units, equipped with advanced environmental controls. With a portfolio of more than 700 MW of wind power, they are also one of the largest purchasers of wind-generated electricity in Texas and the nation.

A Dallas County, Texas, physician has been arrested and charged with health care fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Tariq Mahmood, 61, of Cedar Hill, Texas, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 11, 2013, and charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and seven counts of health care fraud. Mahmood went before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love today for an initial appearance.

According to the indictment, Mahmood, a general practitioner, owned and operated several hospitals in the state of Texas, including Cozby Germany Hospital in Grand Saline, Renaissance Terrell Hospital in Terrell, Central Texas Hospital in Cameron, Community General Hospital in Dilley, and Shelby Regional Medical Center in Center. From April 2010 to April 2013, Mahmood and others are alleged to have carried out a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid through the submission of false and fraudulent claims. Mahmood and others added, changed, deleted, and incorrectly sequenced diagnostic codes in a way that did not reflect the actual diagnoses and conditions of the patients. They submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid based on the added, changed, deleted, and incorrectly sequenced diagnostic codes. By means of fraudulent billing practices, the defendant and his co-conspirators are alleged to have unlawfully submitted false claims of more than $1.1 million and obtained more than $375,000.

If convicted, Mahmood faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each charge.

The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by agents from the Texas Office of the Attorney General – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (OAG-MFCU), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld is prosecuting this case.

Any individuals with knowledge of these or other health care fraud violations are encouraged to contact the Department of Health and Human Services’ fraud hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (447-8477)

A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Posted
2013-04-23 14:44:00 by Davilyn Walston with the US Attorney Office

Six Shelby County, Texans residents have been arrested in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

A 13-count indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on Apr. 17, 2013 charging the following individuals with federal gun and drug crimes:

Lakeva Shillette Hill, a/k/a Sugar Momma, 35;

Lester Earl Pitts, 48;

Vincent Jermaine Lathan, a/k/a Reed Cartwright, 36;

Cornelius Vansharles Gray, 36;

Anthony Gene Chumbley, 46; and

Andrae Demarkqudell Pegues, a/k/a Mark, 33.

The indictment alleges that beginning in May 2010, Hill, Pitts, Lathan and Gray were involved in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana and crack cocaine in East Texas. Hill, Pitts and Gray are also charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Pitts is charged with three counts of providing a firearm to a drug trafficker and three counts of providing a firearm to a convicted felon. Hill and Chumbley are charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Pegues is charged with providing a false statement to a federal agent.

The defendants were arrested on Apr. 18, 2013 and made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Giblin on Apr. 22, 2013.

If convicted of the drug conspiracy charge, the defendants each face up to life in federal prison. The firearms conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The firearms possession charges carry a penalty of a minimum of five years in prison. For providing a firearm to a drug dealer or a convicted felon, the defendant faces up to 10 years for each charge. For being a felon in possession of a firearm, the defendants each face a minimum of 15 years in federal prison. The false statement charge has a penalty of up to 5 years in federal prison.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Center Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.

A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Center City Councilmembers have approved the appointment of a comprehensive planning committee which will begin looking at the needs and priorities of the community over the next decade. Mayor David Chadwick asked all councilmembers to come up with two individuals from each of their areas,one of which will be suggested as the appointee, with the other being considered an alternate. The mayor would like for the committee to consist of council appointees and members of the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Center City Councilmembers have approved approximately $15,000 in expenditures in order to get the next step in the process of establishing a traffic control light at the Timpson/Tenaha intersection. City Manager Chad Nehring told the council that he had just finished a conversation with an impacted property owner and had worked out an agreement regarding adjustment of that property owner's driveway. Once that is taken care of , city officials can then begin working with the Texas Department of Transportation on the actual installation.

Center City Councilmembers have voted unanimously to approve a COPSync contract following a workshop that was held on the matter two weeks ago. Representatives of COPSync were on hand at that workshop to explain the program. Last night, the council approved the item which will allow the police department to replace their current camera equipment with a wireless software program which will not require the maintenance the current cameras do. Chief Jim Albers says the police department has seizure money and can also readjust the pd budget in order to allow payments of $29,000 per year for four years to begin.

Shelby County Commissioners have voted unanimously to close County Road 3575. Commissioner Travis Rogers represents Precinct 3, where the road is located. He says all those impacted by the close have been notified except for one individual, who officials were unable to locate. Rogers says that individual has access to two other county roads from his property.

Rogers says the recommendation is being made because no one lives on the road, there are trees growing over it, and it is a "garbage dump".

The court, in other business, voted to allow Precinct 4 to seek bids for a new or used truck and trailer.

The Office of Workforce and Continuing Education is currently enrolling students for a Pharmacy Technician Certification class. This 64-hour course will help prepare students to enter the pharmacy field and take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s (PTCB) exam. Technicians work in hospitals, home infusion pharmacies, community pharmacies and other health care settings, working under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. Class content includes medical terminology specific to the pharmacy, reading and interpreting prescriptions, and defining drugs by generic and brand names. Students will learn dosage calculations, I.V. flow rates, drug compounding, dose conversions, dispensing of prescriptions, inventory control, billing and reimbursement. A strong math and science background is advised. Students must be able to pass a background check for the PTCB exam. The class will meet Mondays and Thursdays beginning June 17 through August 29 from 6 pm until 9:30 pm. The instructor is Amanda Bankhead. The cost to enroll is $999. This price includes the cost of the textbook. For more information and to register, interested individuals should contact the Continuing Education Office at 903-693-2067 or by e-mail at ce@panola.edu.

The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Ambassarods invite the public to join Ace Hardware of East Texas , on Loop 500 east of 96 South in Center, to celebrate the Grand Opening of the New Ace Rental Place.

The ribbon cutting will be held Friday, April 26th at 10 AM, to kick off a Customer Appreciation Event that will continue until 3:00 PM. There will be refreshments, free giveaways, demonstrations with Husqvarna Power Equipment and Milwaulkee Tools, as well as drawings for Husqvarna and Milwaulkee products, in addition to sales throught the Ace Loop store.

Center Volunteer firefighters worked a house fire on County Road 1023 just off of Highway 96 South Tuesday night just before 8:45. Fire officials say a short in a ceiling fan appeared to be the cause of the small fire. Some minor damage was reported in the attic. No one was injured. Thirteen firefighters were on the scene for almost two hours.

In response, Sims, along with AgriLife Extension agents in Nacogdoches, Panola, Sabine, San Augustine and Shelby counties, have devised a training that will feature cutting-edge weed control measures for pastures, he said.

Set 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26 at the F8 Ranch, 1914 CR 338, San Augustine, speakers will review the latest weed control products and methods of application, including GPS directed spraying, Sims said.

Registration for the program is $15 and includes lunch. The fee may be paid at the door, but participants are asked to RSVP by April 22 to Jerry Nickerson, AgriLife Extension agent for San Augustine County at 936-275-3644, j-nickerson@tamu.edu.
Or, if they prefer, they may RSVP to their local AgriLife Extension county agent, Sims said.
For Angelina County, contact Sims at 936-634-6414, ext. 102, or cw-sims@tamu.edu. For Nacogdoches County, contact Jamie Sugg at 936-560-7711 or jdsugg@ag.tamu.edu. For Panola County, contact Lee Dudley at 903-693-0380 or jldudley@ag.tamu.edu. For Sabine County, contact Kent Powell at 409-787-3752 or Kent.Powell@ag.tamu.edu. For Shelby County, contact Lane Dunn at 936-598-7744 or jldunn@ag.tamu.edu.
Attendees will earn one Beef Quality Assurance credit and three continuing education units in the general category toward renewal of their Texas Department of Agriculture private pesticide licenses.
The F8 Ranch is about two miles southeast of San Augustine. Traveling approximately 0.1 mile south of the intersection of U.S. Highway 96 and State Highway 21, take Farm-to-Market Road 1277 South approximately 0.6 mile to CR 338. Continue south on CR338 for 0.7 mile. The ranch will be on the right. AgriLife Extension signs will be posted on Farm-to-Market Road 1277 and CR 338.
Sponsors include the Heritage Land Bank, Dow AgroSciences and the Griffin Feed Store.

Texas State Network will continue to provide updated coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing on KDET 930 AM and 92.5 FM on the Texas State Network and KQBB 100.5 FM on the ABC Radio Network at the top of the hour.

Panola College is giving you the opportunity to travel and see historical sites around the great state of Texas during its upcoming Maymester, May 20-25. In addition, you earn 3 credit hours for Texas History or Texas Government. Panola College's traveling courses provide students with the opportunity to visit many different places and get college credit.

The “Texas Tour” is just one of the many classes that Panola College offers! Check out the upcoming schedules to see where you would like to go and get college credit at the same time, possibly: New Orleans, St. Louis, Europe, or Memphis/Nashville.

Seating is limited so interested students should call 903-693-2038 as soon as possible to register for this course. For additional information, please call 903-693-2043 or 903-693-2047.

There has been an increase in oil and gas production in Texas with a lot of the increased activity taking place in the Haynesville/Bossier Shale area. That increased activity also increases the possiblity of traffic crashes and TxDot officials used the Shelby County Square to launch a new campaign entitlled Be Safe, Drive Smart, in order to remind motorists to use extra caution when driving through any energy work zone. TxDOT and Shelby County officials gathered in front of the historic courthouse to talk about the campaign.

Shelby County Judge Rick Campbell reflected on his time as a firefighter in which cell phone texting contributed to major accidents locally. Some of the basic tips TxDot wants you to keep in mind is always buckling up, not driving when drowsy,driving at a safe speed, stopping for all stop signs and traffic lights, passing carefully, paying attention, and never drinking and driving.

The Center City Council has recently approved a contract with Fort Worth-based engineering firm Freese and Nichols to conduct an update of the City's Comprehensive Plan and a Water System Master Plan. Center Mayor David Chadwick says the last such plan was conducted ten years ago, but the passage of time and projects brings about new priorities. "Who would have thought 10 years ago that we would have suffered through the worst drought in the State's history or that activity from the Haynesville Shale would be in Shelby County," says Cener Mayor David Chadwick.

The mayor says the city is going to put together a team of citizens to help create a vision of what they want the city to be in the next 25 years. The mayor says he hopes to have a committe of about 12 to begin looking into issues such as projected population growth, current and future land use, physical constraints, a thoroughfare plan and neighborhood and community livability.''

The mayor says the work on the plan should take about six months to complete and be ready for public feedback in November.

Panola College Choral Department announces the sophomore vocal and piano recital of Shawn Simonson on Friday, April 19 at 7 p.m. in the Murphy-Payne Community Room of M.P. Baker Library.

The program will include vocal selections by Handel, Mozart, and Debussy. Piano selections will include works by Haydn, Debussy, and Chopin. Simonson is a vocal student of Kathleen Thomas and studies piano with Judy Galetar.

Simonson is a music major at Panola College and is currently serving as Chorale President, Section Leader, and is a Panola Piper. He was selected to perform with the Texas Two -Year College Choral Directors Association All-State Choir for two consecutive years. He also composed and directed an original choral piece entitled “If I Had Wings” that premiered at Panola’s 2012 Spring Choral Concert.

The recital is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For more information please call Sandra Bauer at 903-693-2061.

Cover and Move, Keep it Simple, Prioritize and Execute, and Decentralize are rules of combat outlined by US Navy Reservist and former Navy Seal Leif Babin. Babin spoke at the 91st annual Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Banquet Thursday night. He says those same rules can be applied to the Chamber in promoting economic development, tourism ,and other activities in the community. He also emphasized the importance of Extreme Ownership, taking responsibility for successes and failures.

Babin is a native of Woodville and was on the high school football team that played Center back in 1991.

Terry and Jan Allen were named Farm Family of the Year for 2013 at last nights 91st annual Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Banquet. The award was presented by Ag Committee member John Snider.

Twenty-twelve Young Citizen of the Year Jason Mitchell presented this year’s award for 2013 to Kimberly McElroy, a former Shelby County Chamber President.

John Howard, who received the Distinguished Service Award last year, presented this year’s award to John Howard, an air force veteran who has devoted his time in Shelby County to preserving the memory of veterans of all wars.

Mary Lynn Tinkle recognized the Shelby County Elementary Teacher of the Year , Hannah Ramsey, and the Secondary Teacher of the Year, Danielle Smith.

The Shelby County Historical Museum will meet next Tuesday at 6:30 PM. David Swanzy wil be the guest speaker and will be speaking on the Challenger Disaster and the museum at Hemphill. Everyone is invited to attend and bring a guest. The museum is located on Pecan Street, behind the First Baptist Church.

The Center City Council recently approved a contract with Landscape Unlimited for installation of turf and site work at what will be the girl's softball field at the Center Park complex. Center Mayor David Chadwick says the approval of the $940,000 contract will allow construction to begin immediately. It is the goal of the city to have the park ready for play next season.

The Center Fly-In and Air Show is scheduled for Saturday, April 27th from 9 to 5 PM at the local airport. There will be Young Eagle airplane rides for 8 to 17 year olds, the Texas heat Wave, T-6 Formation flight stunt pilots, children’s activity tent, arts and crafts, food, and live entertainment.

The Shelby Chamber of Commerce Bloomin on the Square is set for this Saturday on the downtown Center Square. It will offer residents an opportunity to learn about landscaping, buy Native Texas plants, roses, Shelby County day lilies, view lawn equipment and demonstrations.

The event runs Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM.

Horticulture students from Center High School will offer plants and terrariums to purchase. Wal-Mart Super Center will have information on fungicides, patio stones and bedding plants. General Shelters of Texas will display a garden tool sheds. The Center Garden Club will have a demonstration exhibit, Delbert Beckham will feature metal art, Mark Carpenter of The Lily Farm of Shelby County will share expert advice for the care of day lilies, as well as a selection for purchase. Ace Hardware of East Texas will have plants and landscaping materials. Texas Forest Service will have a booth and offer information on having a “firewise landscape”.

In commemoration of Child Abuse Awareness Month the Shelby County Community Partners Rainbow Room will have a Kid’s Corner with games, prizes, balloons, face-painting, stickers, and stuffed animals. CASA of Deep East Texas will have an exhibit of the children’s poster contest at the Historic Courthouse.

The Shelby County Children’s Advocacy Center will host a “Butterfly Release” at 11:00 a.m. and the “Tea with Teddy Tea Party” will start at 11:30 with multiple seatings.

KQBB 100.5 will be broadcasting a live remote from the park from 11 AM to 1 PM.